West Palm Beach sites suggested as All Aboard Florida stations

Two city-owned sites in downtown West Palm Beach have been suggested as possible station locations for Florida East Coast Industries’ (FECI) proposed All Aboard Florida passenger line.

But FECI, which has not yet submitted a site proposal to the city, is not the only possible passenger train game in town.

The Florida Department of Transportation, Tri-Rail and Amtrak are examining scenarios where people would be able to ride by train through South Florida’s downtown areas. If a plan is executed, it would require a partnership with FECI.

In the case of FECI’s All Aboard Florida proposal, the line would have stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach that connect to Orlando.

The project is important for several reasons: Real estate officials expect it would spur new investment in the region’s downtown areas. It is also an important potential job generator: The whole project could produce 1,200 construction-related jobs and 400 permanent jobs, with the Miami operation having the largest employment, All Aboard Florida’s Husein Cumber previously told the Business Journal in an interview.

However, neither he nor any other FECI officials commented for this story.

FECI is looking to start the project by early 2013 and finish by 2014.

As part of an ongoing dialogue with West Palm Beach officials, FECI officials recently suggested a station could be on land at Quadrille Boulevard, between Clematis and Banyan streets, where a city-owned parking garage is located. Another suggested site is along Rosemary Avenue between Third and Seventh streets on land the city leases to the Salvation Army, city spokesman Elliot Cohen said.

Cohen said the city has not generated a list of possible or preferred sites.

Of the two sites, the Salvation Army site is similar in shape to the 9.4-acre property FECI owns in downtown Miami, but smaller. The Miami property, on the west side of downtown Miami and currently used for surface parking, is where FECI could build a mixed-use, Grand Central Terminal-like station, All Aboard Florida officials have said.

Cohen said West Palm Beach would look to find a site that would not cause area roads to bottleneck once the train was in the station.

The city has trolleys running from CityPlace to the Clematis Street business district, and from the historically named Seaboard Tri-Rail/Amtrak station to different activity nodes in the downtown.

“We are going to be working with them on providing transportation options to connect to the station,” said Alex Hansen, the city’s senior transportation planner. “What that means will depend on the location.”

The FECI’s slideshow for a May 10 presentation to the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization said service in downtown Fort Lauderdale could tie into the 2.7-mile Wave streetcar system, which is to receive $18 million in federal funding.

A seemingly ideal location would be next to the Broward Central Bus Terminal in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The city owns land between Andrews Avenue and the railroad tracks. The MPO has dedicated $8 million for a gateway station in that area that could serve bus riders, house a streetcar maintenance facility and provide an All Aboard Florida passenger stop, said James Cromar, the MPO’s livability planner.

He said FECI officials are in constant dialogue with local officials about the project, but details about a possible station are not known.

Cumber has told the Business Journal that he hoped to make a decision on the cars soon, and FECI would make an announcement about the company that would help plan the project.